SANTA FE STAMPEDE (1938)

One of those quickie Westerns John Wayne churned out in his ‘galley years’ (post-THE BIG TRAIL/’30; pre-STAGECOACH/’39). This one, from Republic Pictures workhorse director George Sherman, a ‘Three Mesquiteers’ actioner, featuring Wayne, Ray Corrigan & Max Terhune. In most ways a standard Kiddie Matinee Western (Terhune even squeezes in some ventriloquism) with the boys showing up to help an old pal make a gold claim in the face of corrupt town officials. But halfway in, light banter & lack of serious consequences give way to something darker: real violence & a sense of hopelessness as a cute little girl is murdered along with her father (and after she endears herself to us by telling Wayne how pretty he is!); plus a falsely accused Wayne threatened by a lynch mob before nearly burning to death (with the cute girl’s older sister) in the jail house. And not played as heightened serial melodrama, but in the nail-biting ride-to-the-rescue spirit of early D.W. Griffith. Pretty well handled, too. Not quite ‘a find,’ but not without interest.

SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Don’t hold your breath for the stampede of the title.  Pure alliteration, no more.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: Listen out for a near quote from (of all things) Berlioz Symphony Fantastique.  The harp arpeggios from ‘Un Bal’ are the dead giveaway.